California: Reach Out to the Assembly in Support of SB 690
California booksellers should have received an email urging them to reach out to their Assembly member today and ask them to vote on SB 690. The bill would provide critical relief to small businesses by clarifying the application of privacy laws to modern, standard e-commerce practices. The Assembly has until August 31 to vote on the bill.
Small businesses across California, including bookstores like yours, are being targeted by predatory law firms misapplying the California Invasion of Privacy Act (CIPA). These firms are weaponizing 1960s-era anti-wiretapping laws against modern, standard website features like chat widgets and marketing pixels. With statutory damages of $5,000 per violation, a single lawsuit could threaten the viability of a small store.
Please email them as soon as possible in support of this crucial legislation.
Join Letter Opposing Mastercard/Visa Settlement
The American Booksellers Association (ABA) encourages booksellers to join the Merchants Payments Coalition’s (MPC) sign-on letter objecting to the proposed settlement in MDL-1720.
This letter urges the District Court Judge to deny final approval. ABA believes the court should reject the settlement because it would grant Visa, Mastercard, and major card-issuing banks sweeping immunity from anticompetitive card fees and practices while offering merchants only temporary, inadequate relief. ABA has signed onto the letter.
The proposed settlement imposes a broad liability release that cuts off merchants' rights to seek relief from anticompetitive fees and rules, among other concerns.
ABFE Will Be in DC in Opposition to Censorship Bills
Representatives of American Booksellers for Free Expression (ABFE), as part of the Right to Read coalition, will be in Washington, DC, to participate in a national day of action and lobbying day on Thursday, September 24.
The Day of Action will raise awareness about the three federal bills in the House and Senate that, if passed, would limit access to books by prohibiting the use of federal funds from public schools for teaching about a wide variety of topics. The bills would not even allow certain ideas to exist in library books. Along with ABFE, participants will include national and local non-profit and grassroots organizations and for-profit organizations representing students, authors, parents, librarians, educators, and publishers.
Booksellers in DC can join the coalition for the press conference and/or lobbying meetings. For those who wish to participate remotely in the Day of Action, the coalition will be distributing social graphics and messaging. Booksellers can sign up using this form to receive more information. | 
